Fastening means for container means and blanks therefor



1968 M. T. FARQUHAR 3,367,557

FASTENING MEANS FOR CONTAINER MEANS AND BLANKS THEREFOR Filed April 15,1966 I 3 SheeEs Sheet 1 52 INVENTOR MELVILLE T. FARQUHAR HIS ATTORNEYSFeb. 6, 1968 M. T FARQUHAR 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 15, 1966 FIG-3INVENTOR.

HIS ATTORNEYS Feb. 6, 19 68 M. T. FARQUHAR FASTENING MEANS FOR CONTAINE?MEANS AND BLANKS THEREFOR 3 Sheets-Sheet Filed April 15, 1966 INVENTORMELVILLE T. FARQUHAR O N L An BY Om mm HIS ATTORNEYS United StatesPatent Office 3,367,557 FASTENING MEANS FOR CONTAINER MEANS AND BLANKSTHEREFOR Melville T. Farquhar, Bon Air, Va., assignor to Reynolds MetalsCompany, Richmond, Va., a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 15, 1966,Ser. No. 542,903 Claims. (Cl. 229-40) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Thisdisclosure relates to a container construction having overlapping wallsthereof locked together by a locking tab of one wall being pushedthrough an opening in the other wall and being held at an angle relativethereto by retaining tab means of the other wall whereby locking ears ofthe locking tab prevent the walls from being pulled relative to eachother, the retaining tab means comprising a pair of retaining tabs eachhaving its hinged end angularly disposed relative to the locking tab andto the other retaining tab and engaging the locking tab at spaced apartpoints to assure the holding of the locking tab at an angle relative tothe overlapping walls.

This invention pertains to fastening means and more particularly toimproved fastening means for container means and to improved blanks formaking such fastening means and container means using such fasteningmeans or the like.

Container means such as paperboard carriers in current use for carryingbeverage cans or the like employ fastening means to hold them togetherwhich have marginal strength. This marginal strength results in manycarriers coming apart, thereby damaging and creating problems inhandling and marketing the cans previously carried within the damagedcarrier.

Accordingly, it is a feature of this invention to provide an improvedfastening means for container means or the like which is of highstructural strength thereby holding such container means together andprecluding damage to the contents thereof.

Another feature of this invention is to provide an improved fasteningmeans of the character mentioned which is of simple and economicalconstruction.

Another feature of this invention is to provide an improved fasteningmeans for container means which is easily fastened manually as well asthrough the use of conventional automatic fastening equipment.

Another feature of this invention is to provide improved container meanshaving such improved fastening means which can be constructed, with onlyminor tooling modifications, using standard presently availablemachinery.

Another feature of this invention is to provide improved fastening meansfor fastening and holding together a carrier for beverage containerswhich supports the beverage containers therein against movement likelyto cause damage thereto.

Another feature of this invention is to provide an improved fasteningmeans for container means comprising fastening tab means having anarrowhead-shaped configuration arranged in one of a pair of overlappedwall means for cooperation with retaining means in another of such pairof wall means in which such retaining means is similar in generaloutline to the fastening tab means and the retaining means providesimproved fastening strength with minimum weakening of such other wallmeans.

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide improvedfastening means and container means using 3,367,557 Patented Feb. 6,1968 such fastening means having one or more of the novel features ofthis invention as set forth above or hereinafter shown or described.

Another object of this invention is to provide improved blanks formaking container means having such improved fastening means or the like.

Other objects, uses, and advantages of this invention are apparent froma reading of this description, which proceeds with reference to theaccompanying drawings forming a part thereof and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view illustrating an improved container meanssuch as a bottle carrier having the improved fastening means of thisinvention, and showing four bottles carried within the carrier.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional View on the line 22 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the carrier of FIG- URE 1 with thebottles previously carried therein removed and with a part thereofbroken away, and particularly illustrating the fastening means forholding the carrier together, as well as means for supporting andstabilizing the bottles to be carried therewithin.

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the blank used to make the carrierillustrated in FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating one of the threefastening means illustrated in FIG- URE I placed so that locking tabmeans and associated retaining means thereof are aligned in spaced apartrelation prior to overlapping and fastening using tool means.

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view illustrating the locking tab means andretaining means of FIGURE 5 being locked together by such tool means.

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view showing the locking tab means of FIGURE 6fastened in locking relation and with the tool means of FIGURE 6withdrawn.

While the various features of this invention are hereinafter illustratedand described as being particularly adaptable for providing fasteningmeans for container means such as carriers for beverage containers suchas beer or carbonated beverages, for example, or the like, it is to beunderstood that the various features of this invention can be utilizedsingly or in any combination thereof to provide improved fastening meansfor other articles or container means as desired.

Therefore, this invention is not to be limited to only the embodimentsillustrated in the drawings because the drawings are merely utilized toillustrate one of the wide variety of uses of this invention.

In the exemplary embodiment of this invention illustrated in FIGURES 1-7an improved container means 20 having the improved fastening means ofthis invention is illustrated, as well as the improved blank, shown inFIGURE 4, for making such container means.

As shown in FIGURE 1, the container means or bottle carrier 20 isparticularly adapted in this example of the invention for carrying aplurality of four bottles each designated by the numeral 21 therewithin. Carrier 20 has open ends and a plurality of four foldableinterconnected side wall means shown in this example as a bottom wall22, a top wall 23, and a pair of side walls 24 and 25. The improvedfastening means of this invention is illustrated in this example asfastening together first and second overlapping wall means designated bythe numerals 26 and 27 respectively and comprising portions of bottomwall 22. The fastening means provided in the overlapping wall means orportions 26 and 27 hold carrier 20 together so as to provide improvedstrength therefor and preclude the possibility of such carrier pullingapart and damaging or breaking the contents thereof, such as breakingbottles 21 in this example.

Locking tab means shown as a plurality of three locking tabs is providedin wall portion 26. The locking tabs are each designated by the numeral30 and are arranged spaced apart from each other as illustrated moreparticularly in FIGURE 3 of the drawings. Each locking tab 30 has aconfiguration in the shape generally of an arrowhead and is easilyinsertable in its associated cooperating retaining means.

Retaining means illustrated as a plurality of retaining means eachdesignated by the numeral 31 is provided in second wall means or portion27. Each retaining means 31 has an outer configuration which is similarto its associated locking tab means as will be apparent from thedrawings. The locking tabs 30 and retaining means 31 are adapted to belocked together in corresponding aligned relation.

Each of the three locking tabs in this example of the invention has beendesignated by the numeral 30 and similarly each of the three cooperatingretaining means has been given the numeral 31. These designations havebeen made even though the central locking tab 30 and associated centralretaining means are illustrated larger than the structures on eitherside thereof. It will be appreciated that locking tabs 30 may all beidentical in size or of different sizes and when cooperating withassociated retaining means 31 of corresponding sizes provide theimproved fastening action.

Each locking tab 30 has a central base portion designated generally bythe numeral 32 and projection means wider than the base portion 32 andillustrated as a pair of laterally extending projections each designatedby the numeral 33. Projections 33 extend beyond opposite side edges ofbase portion 32. The side edges of each locking tab 30 converge beyondlateral projections 33 to define the arrowhead shape previouslymentioned.

The retaining means in wall 27 comprises a plurality of cut means someof which are arranged roughly in the shape of the letter T. Each lockingtab 30 is adapted to be easily inserted through such T-shaped cut meansso that it extends through wall 27 generally normal thereto. Each tab 30is then engaged by portions of associated retaining means and locked inposition. It will also be appreciated that any attempt to separate endportions 26 and 27 would result in projections 33 engaging portions ofwall 27 to prevent such separation. The individual cuts defining theroughly T-shaped cut means will now be described in detail.

Each retaining means 31 has an area corresponding to the area of anassociated locking tab 30 and is defined by a plurality of spaced apartcut means or elongated cuts in wall portion 27 arranged to define anouter configuration approximately similar to the outer configuration ofan associated locking tab 30. The cut means defining each retainingmeans 31 define a pair of flap means or a pair of flaps each designatedby the numeral 35 which comprise such retaining means 31. The fiaps 35are hinged along side edges of their arrowhead-shaped configuration, aswill be described in more detail later, and permit easy insertion of alocking tab 30 in position to fasten carrier together.

The plurality of elongated cut means defining the retaining means 31comprises an elongated base cut 40 corresponding to the width of thecentral base portion 32 and adjoining end cuts each designated by thenumeral 41 and continuing beyond opposite ends of base cut 40. End cuts41 correspond generally to the outline of the laterally extendingprojections 33 adjoining the central base 32 of locking tab 30. End cuts41 extend in an arcuate path opening away from the retaining means 31 tothereby define a pair of arcuate retaining ledge means or arcuateretaining ledges each designated by the numeral 42. Retaining ledges 42are provided in wall portion 27 at opposite ends of base cut 40. Theledges 42 help provide improved locking support for projections 33 oncelocking tab 30 and retaining means 31 are fastened together in lockingrelation.

The cut means defining retaining means 31 further comprises transversecut means illustrated as a transverse cut 43 engaging and extending fromthe mid-portion of base cut 40 and extending within the outline of thearrowhead-shaped configuration of the retaining means. Transverse cut 43extends preferably, in this example, from the center of base cut 40 andperpendicular thereto essentially bisecting the area within thearrowhead-shaped configuration of the retaining means 31 and defines theswinging end of flaps 35.

The cut means defining retaining means 31 also comprises spaced apartslit means generally coinciding with the converging side edges of thearrowhead configuration of such retaining means. Each slit means isdesignated by the numeral 44 and defines hinge means or a hinge aboutwhich an associated flap is slightly folded or flexed to enableinsertion of an associated locking tab 30 in locking position.

As will be apparent particularly in FIGURE 6 of the drawings, each flap35 is generally triangular in shape and is defined on one side bytransverse cut 43, on another side by base cut and an associated end cut41, and is hinged about the third side defined essentially by slit means44.

The locking tab 30 and retaining means 31 are constructed and arrangedso as to provide an improved locking action to thereby prevent carrier20 from being pulled apart and thereby possibly breaking the bottles 21carried therewithin. Note that the roughly triangular fiaps 35, eachhinged about an associated hinge line defined by slit means 44 provide arelatively large area through which tab 30 can be inserted for fasteningterminal ends 26 and 27 together; yet assuring a minimum of weakening isprovided in wall 27 for the surface area of locking tab 30 which isemployed. Further, the locking arrangement provided is such that thelocking tab is more rigidly and securely fastened in position and heldthere and prevented from being withdrawn inadvertently or evenforcefully except by using an undue amount of force not likely to beencountered in the normal useage of a carrier of this type, such ascarrier 20.

Wall portions 26 and 27 defining bottom wall 22 are fastened togethereither manually or automatically and as illustrated in FIGURES l and 3of the drawings adequate fastening is provided to hold the bottom wall22 and hence carrier 20 together to preclude the possibility of damageto the bottles 21 carried therewithin.

The improved fastening means of this invention is readily used oncontainer means such as carriers for beverage bottles or cans or thelike which are assembled automatically and employing assemblingmachinery. FIGURES 5, 6, and 7 of the drawings illustrate the lockingsequence for a cooperating set of the fastening means in which, inFIGURE 5, a portion of wall portion 26 is shown arranged in alignedrelation beneath wall portion 27 thereby placing the locking tab 30below the retaining means 31 and below wall portion 27.

FIGURE 6 illustrates tool or punch means such as a rod which is part ofmachinery which, as carrier 20 moves along an assembly line, forexample, with beverage bottles 21 in position and held so that wallportions 26 and 27 are held in overlapped relation, rod 50 engages andpushes locking tab 30 as partially illustrated in FIG- URE 6. Thispushing action forces locking tab 30 through its associated retainingmeans 31.

Upon withdrawing rod 50, see FIGURE 7, locking tab 30 remains in lockingrelation so that any attempt to pull end portions 26 and 27 apart wouldcause side projectrons 33 of tab 30 to engage wall portion 27 adjoiningledge 42 and thus hold such end portions securely together.

As rod 50 engages tab 30, it pushes such tab through retaining means 31by forcing each triangular flap 35 to swing about its score means 44 ina gate-like manner. Tab 30 is pushed so that it lies substantiallynormal to the plane of wall portion 27. Simultaneousl each triangularflap 35 is bent about its score means 44 sothat the base portion thereofdefined by cut 40 is above the plane of end portion 27 and engages thenow substantially vertically positioned tab 30. This action assures thateach tab 30 does not return to the flattened condition and providesimproved locking action.

The fastening means of this invention is illustrated fastening togetherwall means of carrier 20 containing four bottles 21. It will beappreciated that the fastening means of this invention can be used tofasten together wall means of all types of container means includingcarriers carrying any number of bottles, cans, or the like.

The improved container means or carrier 20 has means for holding andsupporting the bottles 21 in this example against lateral movement andpossible damage thereto, see FIGURE 3. Such holding means comprises cutmeans in the lower end portion of each wall 24 and 25 adjacent the lowerend portion of each bottle 21 carried in carrier 20. Such cut meansincludes cut means defining a pair of flaps each designated by thenumeral 52 which yield outwardly in a hinged manner upon receiving thelower end portion of a bottle 21 thereagainst and cooperating cut meansindicated at 53 including a pair of elongated cuts arrangedsymmetrically on either side of an associated elongated vertical cut.The cut means shown at 53 enable the adjoining wall portion to yieldoutwardly upon receiving the rounded contour of an associated bottlethereagainst and hold such bottle snugly in position.

A plurality of holes each designated by the numeral 54 and provided intop wall 23 provide lateral support at the top of each bottle 21. Eachhole 54 has a diameter corresponding to the diameter of the neck ofbottles 21 at the height corresponding to the height of top wall 23above bottom wall 22. Each bottle 21 is inserted with its neck throughan associated hole as shown in FIG- URE 1.

A pair of centrally located spaced apart holes each designated by thenumeral 55 is also provided in top wall 23. Holes 55 enable easyinsertion of ones fingers therethrough to permit easy carrying ofcarrier 20.

Means is provided in top wall 23 and adjoining side walls 24 and 25 foreasy opening of carrier 20 to remove bottles 21 from therewithin. Suchmeans comprises a pair of roughly V-shaped perforation means eachdesignated by the numeral 56 and extending through a central portion oftop wall 23 adjacent each side edge thereof, along the upper side edgesof an associated side wall and across the upper corners of each sidewall 24 and 25. The perforation means have a U-shaped cut 56A at thebase of the V and each set of perforation means 56 defines a tearoutsection 57 at each side of top wall 23. Each tearout section 57 is tornout by grasping the portion of wall 23 surrounded by cut 56A and pullingoutwardly. This pulling action separates top wall 23 from its associatedside wall along the perforations and upon lifting the remainder of topwall 23 off of the neck of bottles 21 enables such bottles to be removedunobstructed.

Carrier 20 having the improved fastening means of this invention can beformed in any suitable manner and made from any suitable foldablematerial. It is preferably formed from the blank 70, illustrated inFIGURE 4. Blank 70 is made of cardboard or the like having a side, suchas the exposed surface thereof laminated with metal- 11c foil, such asaluminum-containing metallic foil, or the like, suitably colored,embossed, imprinted, or remaining plain, as desired.

Blank 70 is of generally rectangular elongated outline and has aplurality of parallel score lines 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, and 76 extendingthereacross in spaced apart relation. As will be apparent from FIGURES 3and 4, blank 70 is assembled folding about score lines 71-76 to form theopen ended tubular carrier 20 as illustrated in FIG- URE 3.

Bottom wall 22 of carrier 20 is defined by two extension flaps 26 and 27extending respectively beyond score lines 71 and 76 and previouslyreferred to as portions 26 and 27 of bottom wall 22. Side wall 24 isdefined by score lines 71, 72, and 73, top wall 23 is defined by scorelines 73 and 74, and side Wall 25 is defined by score lines 74, 75 and76. The portion of side wall 24 extending between score lines 71 and 72and the portion of side wall 25 extending between score lines 75 and 76providing an angled arrangement for the associated side wall adapted forreceiving the cylindrical lower end portion of hottles 21.

Three locking tabs 30 are provided in extension flap 26 in this example.Each locking tab 30 has a central base portion 32 defined generally by ascore line 80 and a pair of laterally extending projection means 33extending on either side of base portion 80 and defined by a cut 81having the general shape of an arrowhead.

Cut means is provided in extension flap 27 corresponding in generaloutline to locking tab 30. The cut means comprises a plurality ofgenerally elongated spaced apart cuts designated generally by thenumeral 82. Cuts 82 define the retaining means 31 and are made in blank70 using a tool similar to the tool used to make arrowheadshaped cut 81.7

Cut means 82 defining retaining means 31 comprise a base cut 40corresponding generally to the dimension across the base portion 32 oflocking tab 30, and a pair of end cuts 41 adjoining opposite ends ofbase cut 40. A transverse cut 43 is provided extending from the centerof base cut 40 and perpendicular thereto bisecting the area within thegeneral outer outline of cut means 82.

Slit means, shown at two locations 44, defines hinge means for eachroughly triangular flap formed by transverse cut 43 and an associatedportion of base cut and an adjoining end cut 41. Each triangular flap 35is hinged about the hinge means provided by slits 44 and enables easyinsertion of the locking tab 30 therethrough upon assembling carrier 20from blank 70.

A plurality of circular openings, each designated by the numeral 54 isprovided in the central portion of the blank defining top wall 23. Eachopening 54 enables insertion of the neck of an associated bottle 21therethrough upon assembling blank 70 to form carrier 20.

A pair of openings is also provided in a symmetrical manner in thecentral portion of top wall 23. Openings 55 are defined by a pair ofapproximately hemispherical cuts 84 and a score line 85 associated witheach cut 84 extending across the open end thereof. Each cut 84 andassociated score line 85 define a flap designated by the numeral 86.Flaps 86 fold toward each other upon inserting ones fingers through theopenings 55 and enable easier carrying of carrier 20.

Blank also has a set of perforation means 56 therein along portionsthereof associated with each side edge of top wall 23. The sets ofperforations 56 define tearout portions 57 which enable the carrier 20formed from blank 71' to be easily opened as previously described.

Terms such as top wall, bottom wall, side wall, ends, etc. have beenused in this disclosure of the invention for ease of description and todefine the position of various walls as illustrated in the drawings andsuch terms should not be considered as limiting the scope of theinvention in any way.

Thus, it is seen that an improved fastening means of simple andeconomical construction has been .provided which provides improvedfastening strength over currently available fastening means and whichcan be made and readily assembled employing standard machinery.

Further, this invention provides improved blanks for forming containermeans having such improved fastening means or the like.

While the form of the invention now preferred has been disclosed asrequired by statute, other forms may be used, all coming within thescope of the claimed subject matter which follows.

What is claimed is:

1. A container construction having fastening means for fasteningtogether first and second overlapping wall means of the containerconstruction, locking tab means in said first wall means having acentral base portion and projection means wider than said base portion,and retaining means in said second wall means having an outerconfiguration substantially identical to the outer configuration of saidlocking tab means and defining a like opening in said second wall means,said locking tab means and retaining means being locked together incorresponding aligned relation with said locking tab means projectingthrough said opening in undeformed condition and with said retainingmeans holding said locking tab means at an angle to said overlappingwall means.

2. A container construction as .set forth in claim 1 wherein saidretaining means comprises two flaps engaging said locking tab means inspaced apart relation.

3. A container construction as set forth in claim 2 wherein said twoflaps are angularly disposed relative to said locking tab means and areangularly disposed relative to each other.

4. A container construction having fastening means for fasteningtogether first and second overlapping wall means of said containerconstruction, locking tab means in said first wall means having acentral base portion and projection means wider than said base portion,and retaining means in said second wall means defining a like opening insaid second wall means, said locking tab means and retaining means beinglocked together in corresponding aligned relation with said locking tabmeans projecting through said opening and with said retaining meansholding said locking tab means at an angle to said overlapping wallmeans, said retaining means comprising two flaps engaging said lockingtab means in spaced apart relation.

5. A container construction as set forth in claim 4 wherein said twoflaps are angularly disposed relative to said locking tab means and areangularly disposed relative to each other.

6. A container blank being suitably cut and scored to form a containerconstruction having a plurality of foldably interconnected side wallmeans, said side wall means comprising first and second wall meansadapted to be overlapped when forming the resulting containerconstruction, locking tab means in said first wall means having acentral base portion and projection means wider than said base portion,and retaining means in said second wall means having an outerconfiguration substantially identical to the outer configuration of saidlocking tab means and defining a like opening in said second wall means,said locking tab means and said retaining means being adapted to belocked together in corresponding aligned relation with said locking tabmeans projecting through said opening in undeformed condition and withsaid retaining means holding said locking tab means at an angle relativeto said overlapping wall means.

7. A container blank as set forth in claim 6 wherein said retainingmeans comprises two flaps adapted to engage said locking tab means inspaced apart relation.

8. A container blank as set forth in claim 7 wherein said two flaps areadapted to be angularly disposed relative to said locking tab means andare adapted to be angularly disposed relative to each other.

9. A container blank being suitably cut and scored to form a containerconstruction having a plurality of foldably interconnected side wallmeans, said side wall means comprising first and second wall meansadapted to be overlapped when forming the resulting containerconstruction, locking tab means in said first wall means having acentral base portion and projection means wider than said base portion,and retaining means in said second wall means having an outerconfiguration defining an opening in said second wall means, saidlocking tab means and retaining means being adapted to be lockedtogether in corresponding aligned relation with said locking tab meansprojecting through said opening and with said retaining means holdingsaid locking tab means at an angle to said overlapping Wall means, saidretaining means comprising two flaps adapted to engage said locking tabmeans in spaced apart relation.

10. A container blank as set forth in claim 9 wherein said two flaps areadapted to be angularly disposed relative to said locking tab means andare adapted to be angularly disposed relative to each other.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,786,572 3/1957 Gentry 229 403,006,530 10/1961 Porter 229 4o 2,120,470 6/1938 Patterson 206:793,186,545 1/1965 Conrades 229 40 3,278,075 10/1966 Weiss 220 403,288,349 11/1966 Palmer et al 229-39 JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, PrimaryExaminer.

R. PESHOCK, Assistant Examiner.

